Re: Derivation of Gunzel

[BEE EFF <mcreely@pnc.com.au>]

Bill, & Group,

Even though the term "Gunzel" may have been originally used to describe a
somewhat fanatical railway enthusiast(being polite),I think now you will find it
is a generic term that has been applied to all rail enthusiasts(whether they are
a dickhead or not).

I am not 100% sure but did hear in the past that the term originated in the UK,
sorry to disappoint the guys from Vic. who might like to claim ownership.

It is unfortunate that there are a few over enthusiastic GUNZELS who stuff it for
the rest by letting common sense go out the window, just to get that "one great
shot".

Yes you do strike idiots, but in most cases the ones I have struck are courteous
and genuinely interested in the day to day running of trains.  I actually had a
near miss(with a tractor, lineside at Cootamundra) a few years ago and the
GUNZELS in the toyota 4wd who had chased us from Goulburn(nearly 200kms)taking
photos, actually pulled up to render assistance and check if everyone was
OK(train crew included- and not a camera in sight). So there is an example where
those blokes let commonsense prevail.

So as with everywhere(employment included) you will strike dickheads everywhere
that ruin it for the majority.

Regards BEE EFF

WBrueckman wrote:

> Thanks for posting the information on the derivation of the gunzel term.  When
> I was in Australia last October for the Paralympics, I heard the term for the
> first time and had a hard time figuring out what it meant.
>
> We have the same sort of idiots here in the U.S.  No special term for them
> except to lump the idiots in with all railfans.  I've seen idiots climb to the
> top of boxcars to get pictures not knowing that they are close to the 10,000
> volt overhead catenary wire.  And I've seen idiots standing with their feet in
> the middle of remote-controlled power switches not knowing their foot could be
> crushed by a flick of a switch of a dispatcher 700 miles away.
>
> Bill Brueckmann
> Summerfield, North Carolina